Take charge of developing the Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (DGVM) for the CAS Earth System Dynamic Model.

Investigation in global climate and environmental change, especially the spatial and temporal response of vegetation distribution to global climate change, and the impact of vegetation on global energy, water, and carbon balances.

Developed a theoretical ecosystem model to simulate and understand the observed coexistence of multiple equilibrium states (the grassland and desert) and abrupt ecological transitions over semiarid regions, and the vegetation pattern and diversity over the transition zone.

Chen H., and Zeng X.D. 2012: The Impacts of the Interannual Variability of Vegetation on the Interannual Variability of Global Evapotranspiration: A Modeling Study. Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters, 5, 225-230

Shao P, and X.D. Zeng (2012): Progress in the study of effects of land use and land cover change on the climate system. Climatic and Environmental Research (in Chinese), 17 (1), 103-111, doi:10.3878/j.issn.1006-9585.2011.10029

Zeng X.D., X. Zeng, S. S. P. Shen, and R. E. Dickinson (2005): Reply to comment by Dekker and Rietkerk on ‘‘Multiple equilibrium states and the abrupt transitions in a dynamical system of soil water interacting with vegetation”, Geophysical Research Letters32, L09403, doi:10.1029/2004GL022339.

Zeng X.D., S.S.P. Shen, X. Zeng and Robert E. Dickinson (2004): Multiple equilibrium states and the abrupt transitions in a dynamical system of soil water interacting with vegetation, Geophysical Research Letters 31, L05501, doi:10.1029/2003GL018910.